Container construction



United States Patent 3,2il4,813 CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION James R. McCuskey, Canton, and John E. Koenig, Massitlon, Ohio, assignors to The (lentral States Can. Corporation, Massillon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filled Nov. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 237,530 (Ilairns. (Cl. 220-60) Our invention relates to improvements in container construction, and more specifically to containers, preferably formed of metal, having metal-closures. Even more specifically, our invention relates to container constructions having metal closures which may be easily removed from a container sealing position without the need for tools or the removal or tearing of any portion of the metal closure or container, yet the metal closure, after such removal, may be repositioned on the container in a secure semi-sealing position.

Many prior container constructions have been provided which include metal closures for covering an open end of the container. Furthermore, various means have been provided for removing the closures from the containers when it is desired to gain access to the contents of the containers.

For instance, certain container constructions have been provided in recent years having metal closures. formed With tear strips thereon. In such prior constructions, the closure may be sealed over an open end of the container and when it is desired to gain access to the contents of the container, the tear strip is removed, which tear strip constitutes the major engaging portions between the closure and container. Thus, after removal of the tear strip, the closure may be conveniently removed merely by lifting the closure from the container.

In these prior container constructions of the tear strip type, once the tear strip has been removed, there are no portions of the closure which remain actually interengaged with any portions of the container, so that when the closure is repositioned covering the open end of the container, the only thing that can retain the closure covering. the container are the frictional forces between abutting surfaces of the closure and container. There are many instances where it is desirable to provide a container construction having a closure which may be re-. moved, and after such removal, may be repositioned covering the open end of the container and at the same time will relatively securely re-engage portions of the container so that the contents of thecontainer are protectedand not easily spilled therefrom In the case of the prior container constructions having closures including tear strips, in the event of upset or extreme jarring, once the tear strip has been. removed,

the closure will frequently be disengaged from its position covering the container open end. If, however, the container construction is formed havinga closure which securely re-engages the container, after. removal and repositioning covering the container open end, despite most vid a container construction in Whichthe closure for the container open end may be easily and simply removed without the need for tools, yet after, such removal, may.

be repositioned covering the container in a secure manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container construction in which the closure may be removed from the container Without the removal or tearing of any portion of the closure or container, yet the closure after removal may be repositioned covering the container with portions of the closure automatically'interengaging with portions of the container so as to retain the closure securely over the container open end.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a container construction in which certain. forms thereof may be constructed to have a hermetic seal between the closure and container after original sealing, and after the original removal of the closure from sealing position over the container open end, the closure may be repositioned covering the container in a relatively secure manner and in a semi-sealing position, yet no tools nor the removal or tearing of any portions of the closure and. container are required either for the original removal of the closure from sealed position or the repositioning of the closure covering the container in a semi-sealed position.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container construction which satisfies all of the above objects in a simple and efiicient manner and may. be provided at a minimum of cost.

These and other objects are accomplished by, the parts,

and side walls is formed with flange means projecting continuously outwardly at the upper open end of the side walls, with this projecting flange means preferably being an outwardly rolled bead having a continuous upper sealing surface and a continuous shoulder spaced below, this.

upper sealing surface.

Furthermore, the container construction is of the type having a metal closure for. the container upper open end with this closure being formed by a central closure wall.

terminating at its extremities preferably first in a continuous upturned flange portion, and then in a continuous. out-turned flange portion, and finally in. a continuousdownturned-inturned flange portion.

Still further, the container construction is of the type in which the downturned-inturned closure flange portion engages the container flange means shoulder to holdthe closure sealed in a normal sealed position to the containerwith the upturned closur flange portionabutting the side container walls and with the out-turned closure flange portion sealed against the container continuous upper sealing surface.

Specifically, according to the principles of the presentinventio'n, the container construction includes the improvements which comprise the downturned-inturned closure flange portion terminating inwardly. beneath the container continuous shoulder in agenerally inwardly extending free edge, with a permanent finger pull tab being formedconnected to the downturned-inturned closure flange portion and extending from this flange portion free edge.

Further, the improvements comprise the peripheral-dimensions of the free edge of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion being less than the maximum peripheral'dirnensions ofthe closure projecting flange meansfor normally holding the closure sealed to the container and wherea gasketsealing compound is provided between the container upper sealing surface and the outturned closureflange portion, this seal may be a hermetic seal.

Still further, the improvements of the present invention include the closure being formed of a metal characterized by having a combined metal temper and gauge providing the downturned-inturned closure flange portion with the resilient qualities for an outward deformation and springing of the downturned-inturned' closure flange portion from normal sealed position for removal of the closure upwardly from the container upper open end by an upward hand force on the closure finger pull tab, and an inward return springing of this downturned-inturned closure flange portion after such removal, to a portion in which the free edge of the flange portion continues to have a peripheral dimension less than the maximum peripheral dimension of the container projecting flange means.

Finally, the improvements include the combined metal temper and gauge providing the downturned-inturned closure flange portion with the resilient qualities to spring outwardly and then inwardly tore-engage the downturnedinturned closure flange portion with the container flange means shoulder in at least a semi-sealed position upon the closure being repositioned over the container upper open end and a downward hand force being applied to the closure.

By way of example, an embodiment of the container construction comprising the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a container construction incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2, a side-top perspective view of the container construction of FIG. 1 with the closure partially released from the container;

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 in FIG. 1 and showing the closure in a position sealed in normal sealed position over the container upper end;

FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, part in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4 in FIG. 1 and showing the closure in aposition sealed in normal sealed position over the container upper end; and

FIG. 5 a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the closure in a re-engaged semi-sealed position over the container upper open end resulting from the closure having been removed from the container and then repositioned covering the container.

Referring to the drawings, the container, generally indicated at 10, is preferably formed of metal such as aluminum or tinplate. Further, container 10 is formed with a bottom wall 11 and the upstanding side walls'12 which terminate upwardly in a preferably outwardly rolled. beaded edge portion 13 forming the container upper open end 14.

The closure, generally indicated at 18, is formed of metal such as aluminum or tinplate and is formed for engagement and preferably hermetic sealing over the container upper open end 14. Closure 18 is formed by a central closure wall 19 which terminates outwardly at its extremities in preferably an upturned generally vertically extending flange portion 20, and then in an arcuate outturned flange portion 21, and finally in an arcuate downturned-inturned flange portion 22, all of which extend continuously around the central closure wall 19.

As shown in the drawings in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, when the closure 18 is engaged and sealed in normally sealed position over the container upper open end 14, the central closure wall 19 is received downwardly within the container side walls 12, the upturned closure flange portion 20 abuts outwardly against the container side walls 12, the outturned closure flange portion overlies and seals against the container upper sealing surface 15, and the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 engages downwardly around the container downward-inward surface 16, engaging beneath the container shoulder 17 to securely hold the closure 18 normally sealed on the container 10.

Further, it is preferred to provide the gasket sealing material 23 continuously around the out-turned closure flange portion 21, as shown particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, so as to seal downwardly against the container upper sealing surface 15 and provide a hermetic seal between the closure 18 and container 10 when the closure is in this normal sealed position on the container.

Particularly, according to the principles of the present invention, the downturned-intumed closure flange portion 22 terminates in a generally inwardly extending free edge 24 which, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is normally of less peripheral dimensions than the maximum peripheral dimensions of the container edge portion 13, so that the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 may securely engage beneath the container shoulder 17 in normal sealed position.

Furthermore, a preferably straight permanent finger ,pull tab 25 is preferably formed integral with the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 normally extending from the free edge 24 of this flange portion inwardly substantially to and then downwardly along the container side walls 12. Also, the closure 18 does not include and is free of any tear strip score lines or other means which would provide for a removal of part of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22.

Very important to the principles of the present invention is the fact that the closure 18 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or tinplate having a combined metal temper and gauge for providing the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 with the resilient qualities for an outward deformation and springing of this downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 so that, partially by deformation and the remainder by outward springing, the free edge 24 of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 will r slide from full normally sealed engagement with the container shoulder 17 upwardly over the container edge portion 13 when the pull tab 25 is grasped by the fingers and a reasonable upward force is exerted by hand against the closure. The fully engaged and normally sealed position of the closure 18 on the container 10 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the released disengaged position of the closure from the container, after this upward force on the pull tab 25, is shown in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, the combined metal temper and gauge of the metal forming the closure 18 must provide this downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 with resilient qualities such that after the closure is disengaged or removed upwardly from the container 10, the downturnedinturned closure flange portion 22 will spring inwardly sufliciently and despite any permanent deformation thereof, that the free edge 24 of this closure flange portion 22 will still have a peripheral dimension considerably less than the maximum peripheral dimension of the container edge portion 13. Thus, after this initial removal of the closure 18 from the container 10, from its normal sealed position, this closure may be re-engaged over the container upper open end 14 merely by exerting a downward hand force on the closure which, due to the temper and gauge of the metal forming this closure, will cause the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 and the free edge 24 thereof to merely spring outwardly and slide downwardly over the container upper open end 14, and then spring back inwardly to re-engage with the container shoulder 17 securing the closure 18 in a secure semisealed position over the container upper open end 14, as shown in FIG. 5

Examples of various aluminum alloys having the metal temper and gauge which will satisfactorily provide resilient qualities satisfying the principles of the present invention are listed in the following according to ASM specifications. The aluminum alloy metals should have a gauge between 0.008 inch and 0.010 inch and may be type 5052 having a temper of H34 or H36 or H38, type 3003 having a temper of H14, and type 5086 having a temper of H34 or H36 or H38.

It should be understood that the foregoing examples of metal of the metal type, temper and gauge set forth will provide a constructionof closure 18 satisfying and providing the desired results of the present invention. Other aluminum alloys and other metals having the same or different temper and gauge might equallyprovide substantially the same results and it is not intended to limit the principles of the present invention to the exact examples given.

Thus, according to' the principles of the present invention, a container construction is provided in which the closure 18 will be retained in a normal sealed position sealing over the container upper open end 14 by the engagement of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 with the container shoulder 17, but merely by grasping and exerting an upward force by hand on the finger pull tab 25, it is easily possible to remove the closure from its normally sealed position over the container without the need for tools, or without the removal of any tear strip.

Furthermore, due to the particular metal temper and gauge of the closure 13, the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 will partially deform outwardly but, more important will partially spring outwardly to permit this removal, so that thereafter, merely by a reasonable downward force by hand, the downturned-inturned closure flange portion 22 may be re-engaged in a semi-sealed position with the container upper open end 14 by springing outwardly over this open end 14 and re-engaging downwardly beneath the container shoulder 17.

This results in a container construction having a closure 18 which will normally remain preferably hermetically sealed over the upper open end 14 of the container 10, may be removed by hand without the aid of tools or tear strips, and may be re-engaged over the container upper open end in a semi-sealed position.

Where the container construction of the present invention is formed of a metal such as aluminum or tinplate, both as to the container 10 and closure 18, and food products are to be packed therein, it is desirable to provide plastic coatings on the inner surfaces of both the container 10 and closure 18 as well as to form the gasket sealing material 23 of specific compositions so as to prevent any reactions between the particular food product and the container closure metal which might adversely affect or contaminate the food product. Examples of satisfactory plastic coatings and sealing gasket materials are set forth in the copending United States patent application, Serial No. 226,712, filed September 27, 1962, of which we are co-inventors with others.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the invention, the construction, operation and use of the preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construction and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In container construction of the type in which a container having bottom and side walls is provided with flange means projecting continuously outwardly of the side walls at the upper open end of the side walls, in which said projecting flange means has a continuous upper sealing surface and a continuous shoulder spaced below said upper sealing surface, in which an aluminum metal closure is provided for the container having a central closure wall terminating at its extremities in continushoulder to hold the closure sealed in a normal sealed position to the container with the outturned closure flange portion sealed against the container continuous upper sealing surface; the improvement which comprises the downturned-inturned closure flange portion terminating inwardly beneath the container continuous shoulder ina continuousgenerally inwardly extending free edge, a

permanent finger pull tab formed connected to the downturned-inturned closure flange portion and extending from the continuous free edge of said downturned-inturned closure flange portion, the peripheral dimensions of the continuous free edge of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion being less than the maximum peripheral dimensions of the container projecting flange means normally holding the closure sealed to the container in said normal sealed position, the closure being formed of an aluminum metal characterized by having a combined metal temper and gauge providing the downturned-inturned closure flange portion with the resilient qualities to deform slightly outwardly and spring additionally outwardly upon an upward hand force solely on the finger pull tab to pass upwardly over the container flange means from the normal sealed position of the closure on the container to a position in which the closure is removed from the container and to then spring back inwardly to a position in which the continuous free edge of the downturned-inturned closure flange portion has a peripheral dimension less than the maximum peripheral dimension of the container projecting flange means, and the combined aluminum metal temper and gauge providing the downturned-inturned closure flange portion with the resilient qualities to spring outwardly sufliciently for the continuous free edge of said downturned-inturned closure flange portion to pass downwardly over the container flange means and then automatically spring inwardly to re-engage with the container flange means shoulder in at least a semi-sealed position upon the closure being repositioned over the container upper open end and solely a downward hand force being applied to said closure.

2. Container construction as defined in claim 1 in which sealing gasket means is positioned on the outturned closure flange portion between said outturned closure flange portion and the upper sealing surface of the container flange means; and in which the gasket sealing means is compressed between the upper sealing surface of the container flange means and an adjacent surface of the outturned closure flange portion providing a hermetic seal between the container and closure when the closure flange portions are engaged over, around and beneath the container flange means holding the closure sealed to the container in said normal sealed position.

3. Container construction as defined in claim 1 in which the central closure wall includes an upturned closure flange portion to which the outturned closure flange portion is inwardly connected; and in which the upturned closure flange portion abuts the side container walls when the closure is engaged over the container upper open end in both the normal sealed and semi-sealed positions.

4. Container construction as defined in claim 1 in which the closure is formed from an aluminum alloy having a gauge between substantially 0.008 inch and 0.010 inch and selected from the group consisting of type 5052 aluminum alloy having a temper of H34, type 5052 aluminum alloy having a temper of H36, type 5052 aluminum alloy having a temper of H38, type 3003 aluminum alloy having a temper of H14, type 5086 aluminum alloy having a temper of H34, type 5086 aluminum alloy having a temper of H36, and type 5086 aluminum alloy having a temper of H38.

5. Container construction as defined in claim 1 in which sealing gasket means is positioned on the outturned closure flange portion between said outturned closure flange portion and the upper sealing surface of the container flange means; in which the gasket sealing means is compressed between the upper sealing surface of the container flange means and an adjacent surface of the outturned closure flange portion providing a hermetic seal between the container and closure when the closure flange portions are engaged over, around and beneath the container flange means holding the closure sealed to the container in said normal sealed position; in which the central closure wall includes an upturned closure flange portion 10 to which the outturned closure flange port-ion is inwardly connected; and in which the upturned closure flange portion abuts the side container walls when the closure is engaged over the container upper open end in both the normal sealed and semi-sealed positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,358 6/37 Gunzel 220 59 2,778,520 1/57 Hyde 21546 3,066,821 12/62 Conklin 215-46 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. IN CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION OF THE TYPE IN WHICH A CONTAINER HAVING BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS IS PROVIDED WITH FLANGE MEANS PROJECTING CONTINUOUSLY OUTWARDLY OF THE SIDE WALLS AT THE UPPER OPEN END OF THE SIDE WALLS, IN WHICH SAID PROJECTING FLANGE MEANS HAS A CONTINUOUS UPPER SEALING SURFACE AND A CONTINUOUS SHOULDER SPACED BELOW SAID UPPER SEALING SURFACE, IN WHICH AN ALUMINUM METAL CLOSURE IS PROVIDED FOR THE CONTAINER HAVING A CENTRAL CLOSURE WALL TERMINATING AT ITS EXTEMITIES IN CONTINUOUS OUTTURNED AND THEN DOWNTURNED-INTURNED FLANGE PORTIONS, IN WHICH THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTIONS CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGES THE CONTAINER FLANGE MEANS SHOULDER TO HOLD THE CLOSURE SEALED IN A NORMAL SEALED POSITION TO THE CONTAINER WITH THE OUTTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION SEALED AGAINST THE CONTAINER CONTINUOUS UPPER SEALING SURFACE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION TERMINATING INWARDLY BENEATH THE CONTAINER CONTINUOUS SHOULDER IN A CONTINUOUS GENERALLY INWARDLY EXTENDING FREE EDGE, A PERMANENT FINGER PULL TAB FORMED CONNECTED TO THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION AND EXTENDING FROM THE CONTINUOUS FREE EDGE OF SAID DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION, THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS OF THE CONTINUOUS FREE EDGE F THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION BEING LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS OF THE CONTAINER PROJECTING FLANGE MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING THE CLOSURE SEALED TO THE CONTAINER IN SAID NORMAL SEALED POSITION, THE CLOSURE BEING FORMED OF AN ALUMINUM METAL CHARACTERIZED BY HAVING A COMBINED METAL TEMPER AND GAUGE PROVIDING THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION WITH THE RESILIENT QUALITIES TO DEFORM SLIGHTLY OUTWARDLY AND SPRING ADDITIONALLY OUTWARDLY UPON AN UPWARD HAND FORCE SOLELY ON THE FINGER PULL TAB TO PASS UPWARDLY OVER THE CONTAINER FLANGE MEANS FROM THE NORMAL SEALED POSITION OF THE CLOSURE ON THE CONTAINER TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE CLOSURE IS REMOVED FROM THE CONTAINER AND TO THEN SPRING BACK INWARDLY TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE CONTINUOUS FREE EDGE OF THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION HAS A PERIPHERAL DIMENSION LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM PERIPHERAL DIMENSION OF THE CONTAINER PROJECTING FLANGE MEANS, AND THE COMBINED ALUMINUM METAL TEMPER AND GAUGE PROVIDING THE DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION WITH THE RESILIENT QUALITIES TO SPRING OUTWARDLY SUFFICIENTLY FOR THE CONTINUOUS FREE EDGE OF SAID DOWNTURNED-INTURNED CLOSURE FLANGE PORTION TO PASS DOWNWARDLY OVER THE CONTAINER FLANGE MEANS AND THEN AUTOMATICALLY SPRING INWARDLY TO RE-ENGAGE WITH THE CONTAINER FLANGE MEANS SHOULDER IN AT LEAST A SEMI-SEALED POSITION UPON THE CLOSURE BEING REPOSITIONED OVER THE CONTAINER UPPER OPEN END AND SOLELY A DOWNWARD HADN FORCE BEING APPLIED TO SAID CLOSURE. 